Improvement in machines for canceling stamps



CHARLES J. GOFI AND ELMER *3.

PATENT OFFICE.

HURSY, 0F GLARKSBURG, IV. VA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CANCELING STAMPS.V

Specification forming part of Letters Patent Nod/17,630, dated February 17, 1874; application filed November 1, 1873.

T) all whom 'it may concern.'

Be. it known that we, CHAELEs J. Gorr and ELMER B. HUR-sY, of Clarksburg, in the county of Harrison and State ot' VWest Virginia, have invented anew and Improved Machine for (lanceling Stamps; and we do hereby declare that the following' is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawing', *forming a part ot' this specication, in which- Figure l is a side elevation; Fig'. 2, au end View; Figs. 3 and l, detail views ot' cancelingrollers.

The invention relates to mechanical means, whereby stamped letter envelopes and unstamped circular envelopes in the Post-Ottico Department may be conveniently and rapidly canceled.

It will ijrst be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

A A represent the sills, and B B the side nprights, of a canceling-maehine. C is a roll that supports the letter or circular when passin g' betweenit and asuperposed canceling-roll, l). The latter has a recess, d, in vwhich is inserted (within the die for letter or cirenlars local point or departure) the date on which the same was received. (Il is a hole parallel to the axis of roll, that opens into the recess d, and in which works a clamp-screw, E. A hole, b, in upright B allows the introduction of a screwdriver, either to tighten up or loosen the type, which are, of course, to be changed daily. The rollD has surfaces d2 d3, which bite on the letter or circular, causin g it to pass evcnl y through, and also a surface-die, (1*, which makes a cancellation-mark on a letter or circular, upon the latter of which the postage is prepaid without the attachment ot' a stamp. l is a front in clined guide, that allows the letters to be fed rapidly to the machine, their own gravity ear rying them down until the rolls C D bite on them, and transfer them to the other side.

' Here they slide down a second inc-lined guide, G. G is a plate that holds down the part of the letter or circular that has not yet entered the space between rolls. The supporting-roll C is itselt' supported upon springs H H, so as to give a yieldin pressure upon the letter or circular, while, in order to take up any loss ot' tension, or any wear in the journal c, ortho` bearing c, wc end-slot this bearing, makin git wedge-shaped, and holding itv to the journal by clamp-screws c2 o2. I is the hiking-roll, which receives its supply from the distributor J and ink-receiver K. These rolls, together with the cancelingrolls C l), are cach provided with an end pulley, partially around cach of which passes an endless belt, that may be operated from the drive-pulley of a sewing-machine, or any other small power mechanism.

In order to cause the hiking-roll I to always contact evenly and uniformly with the eanceler D, we place its journals, after they have passed through twoyertical slots in uprights B B, in two levers, N N, and use an adjustable stop, O, and button l? to hold the levers at different points of adjustment.

By this machine, a single person will in a comparatively short space of time do all the canceling required at any post-ottico.

I-Iaif'ing thus described our invention, what we cla-inl as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. The spring II and wedge cl, combined rights B B, as and for the purpose specified.

P, combined with an inking-roll, I, having its journals in slot-s of the upright-s B B, as and for the purpose described.

C. J. GOFF.

E. B. HURSY.

lVitnesses:

JOHN C. NANCE, JOHN P. GANDY.

with journals c c, passingthrough slots or up 2. The slotted lever N, stop O, and button 

